This is the first time that a legislator in the State has landed in jail, that too from the ruling party in the State.
Following the denial of anticipatory bail by the District and Sessions Judge, KL Liana yesterday, the Congress MLA representing Tuival constituency surrendered before the police this morning as per the court instructions. He was then produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court which sent him to Central Jail. The FIR against him was filed by K Laldinthara, Opposition Mizo National Front secretary Vigilance.
The MLA’s advocate will move a bail plea tomorrow, it is learnt. Special superintendent of Central Jail, Lalthankima Sailo told The Assam Tribune that Pianmawia was handed over to his care this afternoon.
Being a legislator, he is due for ‘Class I’ treatment which entitles him to a separate room, a TV, water filter and a new bed-roll including mattresses, etc. He has also been assigned a peon from among the convicts. Besides, he is allowed meals of his choice.
While, an MLA’s incarceration, even if for a night has given the law a face-up, Pianmawia has come out smelling sweeter than a rose in all this, as far as his people are concerned. According to his supporters and constituency people, ‘He got trapped in a silly case only because he went out of his way to help his people.”
“He did it for us actually,” is the refrain from the Young Mizo Association (YMA) North Serzawl village. As per documents, Pianmawia had earmarked the amount from the MLA funds of about Rs 1 lakh for the YMA, N Serzawl to repair a link road in that village. A YMA conference is soon to be held there. However, the dealing officials at the Aizawl District Deputy Commissioner’s office had knowingly or accidentally sanctioned the amount in the name of the Village Council (VC) of N Serzawl.
When the YMA came for the money sometime in April they could not withdraw it and after discussing the matter with the MLA decided to take a short cut by making a rubber stamp of the VC as it was “money sanctioned for them anyway.” But since the VC was not consulted on this they were surprised to see a signboard on the village road which said that the work was done by the VC.
“After this we hurried to Aizawl to find out how VC money had gone into other hands. But before we could file an FIR we were called by the MLA who explained that he had earmarked the money to the YMA for repairing the road and that the official order from the DC had inadvertently written VC instead in the hurry to get the money out for the project. We agreed that the matter need not be taken further, and gathered at the DC’s office. Then in the presence of the officials he burnt the fake stamp,” said the source. However, the N Serzawl VC being from the opposition MNF camp, the matter took a different turn when the MNF party vigilance secretary decided to file an FIR against the MLA.